HomeDocumentationDocuments of the Holy SeeAddress by John Paul II to the Symposium, Pontifical Atheneum of the Holy Cross. October 14, 1993
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Address by John Paul II to the Symposium, Pontifical Atheneum of the Holy Cross. October 14, 1993

John Paul II

Tags: Church, Pope John Paul II, Holiness, Work, Ordinary life
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am pleased to welcome you on the occasion of the theological symposium on the teachings of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, which has been taking place these past days at the Roman Atheneum of the Holy Cross, a little more than a year since his beatification.

I greet the chancellor, Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, and the rector of the Atheneum, Ignacio Carrasco de Paula; my greetings go also to the organizing committee, the speakers and all of you who took part in this important study event.

The history of the Church and of the world unfolds through the action of the Holy Spirit who, with the free cooperation of men, directs all things toward the fulfilment of God the Father’s saving plan. A clear manifestation of this divine Providence is the constant presence down the centuries of men and women faithful to Christ, who, with their life and their message, shed light on various periods of history. Among these distinguished figures, Blessed Josemaría Escrivá has an eminent place, for as I had occasion to stress on the solemn day of his beatification, he reminded the contemporary world of the universal call to holiness and of the Christian value which professional work can have in the ordinary life of each person.

In addition to the sanctification of souls, the action of the Holy Spirit has as its goal the constant renewal of the Church, so that she may effectively carry out the task entrusted to her by Christ. In the recent history of the Church’s life, this process of renewal has a fundamental reference point – the Second Vatican Council, during which the Church, assembled together in the person of her bishops, reflected anew on the essence of her mystery, so as to be able to proclaim the Gospel to the world in a way that would have a decisive influence on the life of individuals, on cultures and on peoples. The conciliar texts and the documents that followed them had as a common characteristic the full awareness of the salvation accomplished for us by Christ. From this awareness stems the sense of mission which the texts of the Ecumenical Council and the whole subsequent Magisterium emphasize – that sense of mission to which I myself recently referred in the Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor.

The deep awareness with which the Church today is conscious of serving a redemption that concerns every aspect of human existence was prepared, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, by a process of gradual intellectual and spiritual development. The message of Blessed Josemaría, to which you devoted the work of your congress, is one of the most significant charismatic impulses in this direction, stemming from a unique grasp of the radiant, universal force of the Redeemer’s grace. In one of his homilies, the founder of Opus Dei observed: ‘There is nothing that is outside of the concern of Christ. Speaking with theological precision […] one cannot say that there are realities – good, noble or even indifferent – which are exclusively profane; for the Word of God has made his dwelling among the sons of men, he was hungry and thirsty, worked with his hands, knew friendship and obedience, experienced sorrow and death.’ 2

On the basis of this deep conviction, Blessed Josemaría invited men and women from the most varied social conditions to sanctify themselves and to cooperate in the sanctification of others by sanctifying ordinary life. In his priestly activity, he was deeply aware of the value every soul has and of the Gospel’s power to enlighten consciences and to awaken a serious and active Christian commitment to defending the person and his or her dignity. In The Way, Blessed Josemaría wrote: ‘These world crises are crises of saints. God wants a handful of men “of his own” in every human activity. Then… “pax Christi in regno Christi” – the peace of Christ in the kingdom of Christ.’ 3

How much power this doctrine has in terms of the arduous and at the same time appealing work of the new evangelization, to which the entire Church is called! In your congress you have had the opportunity to reflect on various aspects of this spiritual teaching. I invite you to continue in this work, because Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, like other great figures in modern Church history, can also be a source of inspiration for theological thought. In fact, theological research, which has an irreplaceable role of mediation in the relationship between faith and culture, progresses and is enriched by drawing on the Gospel, under the impulse of the experience of Christianity’s great witnesses. Blessed Josemaría, without a doubt, should be included among them.

We cannot forget, however, that the importance of the figure of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá derives not only from his message but also from the apostolic undertaking which he brought into being. In the 65 years since its foundation, the prelature of Opus Dei, an indissoluble unity of priests and lay people, has contributed to making Christ’s saving message resound in many walks of life. As Pastor of the universal Church, echoes of this apostolate reach me. I encourage all the members of the Opus Dei prelature to persevere in this work, in faithful continuity with the spirit of service to the Church which always inspired the life of your founder.

With these sentiments, I invoke on all an abundance of heavenly gifts, in pledge of which I most cordially impart my Blessing to you and to all who are inspired by the teachings and example of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer.


Notes
1. Published as: Holiness and the World: Studies in the Teachings of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, M. Belda, J. Escudero, J. L. Illanes & P. O’Callaghan (eds), Scepter Publishers, Princeton New Jersey, 1997.
2. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ Is Passing By, Dublin, 1974, 112
3. Josemaría Escrivá, The Way, Dublin, 1985, 301.